Solid state imaging apparatus, production method thereof and electronic device

ABSTRACT

A solid state imaging apparatus includes an insulation structure formed of an insulation substance penetrating through at least a silicon layer at a light receiving surface side, the insulation structure having a forward tapered shape where a top diameter at an upper portion of the light receiving surface side of the silicon layer is greater than a bottom diameter at a bottom portion of the silicon layer. Also, there are provided a method of producing the solid state imaging apparatus and an electronic device including the solid state imaging apparatus.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Priority PatentApplication JP 2013-141762 filed Jul. 5, 2013 and Japanese PriorityPatent Application JP 2014-056608 filed Mar. 19, 2014, the entirecontents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a solid state imaging apparatus, aproduction method thereof and an electronic device, more particularly toa solid state imaging apparatus, a production method thereof and anelectronic device being capable of reducing a flare component.

SUMMARY

A method of producing a semiconductor chip includes forming a pluralityof semiconductor chips on a wafer, and dicing the semiconductor chipsusing a blade along scribe areas to separate the semiconductor chips. Inthe a method, chipping that may be generated by dicing should beprevented.

When electrode pads formed within the semiconductor chips are wirebonded or when the electrode pads are probed upon inspection, a leak ora damage should not be generated even if a side wall is contacted with abonding wire or a probe.

In order to prevent chipping that may be generated by dicing using ablade or a leak or a damage generated upon wire bonding or probing,solid state imaging apparatuses having a variety of guard rings(prevention walls) have been proposed (for example, see Japanese PatentApplication Laid-open Nos. 2012-17896, 2011-114261, 2012-231027,2010-219425, 2010-212735, 2010-109137 and 2007-324629).

However, in the technology described in Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-open No. 2012-17896, a metal material is used as a burying materialof a guard ring. Once a crack is generated by a bonding damage, metal isdiffused. A decrease in reliability may be of concern. In thetechnologies described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos.2011-114261, 2012-231027, 2010-219425, 2010-212735, 2010-109137 and2007-324629, due to their production methods, a guard ring has aninverse tapered shape where a diameter is gradually increased as it isaway from a light incident surface side. Therefore, an incident light isreflected by the guard ring, whereby a flare gets worse.

It is therefore desirable to reduce a flare component.

According to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, there isprovided a solid state imaging apparatus, including an insulationstructure formed of an insulation substance penetrating through at leasta silicon layer at a light receiving surface side, the insulationstructure having a forward tapered shape where a top diameter at anupper portion of the light receiving surface side of the silicon layeris greater than a bottom diameter at a bottom portion of the siliconlayer.

According to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, there isprovided a method of producing a solid state imaging apparatus,including bonding a first substrate to a second substrate including asilicon layer on which a photo diode is formed; and trenching the secondsubstrate from a light receiving surface side at least to a depth of thesilicon layer in a longitudinal direction to form an opening where aninsulation substance is filled.

According to a third embodiment of the present disclosure, there isprovided an electronic device, including a solid state imaging apparatushaving an insulation structure formed of an insulation substancepenetrating through at least a silicon layer at a light receivingsurface side, the insulation structure having a forward tapered shapewhere a top diameter at an upper portion of the light receiving surfaceside of the silicon layer is greater than a bottom diameter at a bottomportion of the silicon layer.

According to the first and the third embodiments of the presentdisclosure, there is provided an insulation structure formed of aninsulation substance penetrating through at least a silicon layer at alight receiving surface side, and the insulation structure has a forwardtapered shape where a top diameter at an upper portion of the lightreceiving surface side of the silicon layer is greater than a bottomdiameter at a bottom portion of the silicon layer.

According to the second embodiment, the first substrate is bonded to thesecond substrate including a silicon layer on which a photo diode isformed; and then the second substrate is trenched from a light receivingsurface side at least to a depth of the silicon layer in a longitudinaldirection to form an opening where an insulation substance is filled.

The solid state imaging apparatus and the electronic device may be standalone or a module incorporated into other apparatus.

According to the first to third embodiments of the present disclosure, aflare component can be reduced.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentdisclosure will become more apparent in light of the following detaileddescription of best mode embodiments thereof, as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a solid state imagingapparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 shows a large-sized semiconductor wafer on which solid stateimaging apparatuses are formed;

FIG. 3 shows a top configuration view of a solid state imagingapparatus;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a pad opening and a chip surrounding guardring;

FIG. 5 illustrates functions of a pad surrounding guard ring and a chipsurrounding guard ring;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional configuration view around a pad opening;

FIG. 7 is a view for illustrating a method of producing the solid stateimaging apparatus shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view for illustrating a method of producing the solid stateimaging apparatus shown in FIG. 6;

FIGS. 9A and 9B each illustrates an effect of a pad surrounding guardring;

FIGS. 10A to 10D are views for illustrating an alternative method offilling a pad surrounding guard ring with an insulation material;

FIGS. 11A to 11D illustrate alternative embodiments of pad surroundingguard rings having varying depths;

FIGS. 12A to 12C each shows an embodiment of a wiring for drawing apower source from an electrode pad portion;

FIG. 13 illustrates a configuration embodiment of a solid state imagingapparatus that is externally connected using a through electrode;

FIG. 14 shows an embodiment where a solid state imaging apparatus isutilized in a share contact structure;

FIGS. 15A to 15D are views for illustrating a method of producing ashare contact structure;

FIG. 16 is a cross sectional configuration view around a pad opening ina non-laminated type solid state imaging apparatus;

FIGS. 17A to 17D are views for illustrating a method of producing thesolid state imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 16;

FIGS. 18A to 18D are views for illustrating a method of producing thesolid state imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 16;

FIGS. 19A and 19B illustrate alternative embodiments of pad surroundingguard rings having varying depths;

FIGS. 20A and 20B each shows an embodiment of a wiring for drawing apower source from an electrode pad portion;

FIG. 21 illustrates a trench structure in the related art;

FIG. 22 illustrates a trench structure according to a third embodiment;

FIG. 23 illustrates an effect of the trench structure according to thethird embodiment;

FIG. 24 illustrates the trench structure according to the thirdembodiment in detail;

FIG. 25 illustrates another trench structure according to the thirdembodiment;

FIG. 26 illustrates a method of producing a chip surrounding guard ringaccording to the third embodiment;

FIG. 27 is a view showing a pixel structure according to a fourthembodiment;

FIG. 28 illustrates a method of producing a chip surrounding guard ringaccording to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 29 illustrates a method of producing a chip surrounding guard ringaccording to the fourth embodiment; and

FIG. 30 is a block diagram showing a configuration embodiment of animaging apparatus as an electronic device according to an embodiment ofthe present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be describedwith reference to the drawings.

The embodiments of the present technology will be described in thefollowing order.

1. Overall Structure of Solid State Imaging Apparatus

2. First Embodiment (Configuration Embodiment of Laminated and BackIllumination Type Solid State Imaging Apparatus)

3. Second Embodiment (Configuration Embodiment of Non-laminated and BackIllumination Type Solid State Imaging Apparatus)

4. Third Embodiment (Guard Ring Structure having Bowing Profile)

5. Fourth Embodiment (Trench Structure between Pixels having BowingProfile)

6. Application to Electronic Device

1. Overall Structure of Solid State Imaging Apparatus SchematicConfiguration of Solid State Imaging Apparatus

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a solid state imagingapparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

A solid state imaging apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes asemiconductor substrate 12 using silicon (Si) as a semiconductor, apixel array 3 where pixels 2 are arranged in a two-dimensional array,and peripheral circuits. The peripheral circuits include a verticaldriving circuit 4, a column signal processing circuit 5, a horizontaldriving circuit 6, an output circuit 7 and a control circuit 8.

Each pixel 2 includes a photo diode as a photoelectric conversionelement, and a plurality of pixel transistors. A plurality of pixeltransistors include four MOS transistors, namely, a transfer transistor,a selection transistor, a reset transistor and an amplifier transistor.

Each pixel 2 may have a shared pixel structure. The shared pixelstructure is composed of a plurality of photo diodes, a plurality oftransfer transistors, a shared floating diffusion region and a sharedother pixel transistor. In other words, in the shared pixel, the photodiode and the transfer transistor in a plurality of unit pixels shareother pixel transistor.

The control circuit 8 receives data for instructing an operation modeand outputs data of inside information about the solid state imagingapparatus 1. In other words, the control circuit 8 generates a clocksignal and a control signal that form an operation standard of thevertical signal circuit 4, the column signal processing circuit 5 andthe horizontal driving circuit 6 based on a vertical synchronizingsignal, a horizontal synchronizing signal and a master clock. Thecontrol circuit 8 outputs the clock signal and the control signalgenerated to the vertical driving circuit 4, the column signalprocessing circuit 5, the horizontal driving circuit 6 and others.

The vertical driving circuit 4 is composed, for example, of a shiftresistor, selects a pixel driving wire lines 10, supplies the pixeldriving wire lines 10 selected with a pulse for driving the pixel 2, anddrives the pixel 2 per row unit. In other words, the vertical drivingcircuit 4 selectively scans each pixel 2 of the pixel array 3 per rowunit in a vertical direction, and feeds, through the vertical signallines 9, the column signal processing circuit 5 with a pixel signalbased on a signal charge generated in accordance with a light receivingamount in the photoelectric conversion element in each pixel 2.

The column signal processing circuit 5 is arranged per column of thepixels 2, and carry out a signal processing such as a noise removal perpixel column from a signal outputted from the pixels 2 in one column.Specifically, the column signal processing circuit 5 carries out asignal processing such as a CDS (Correlated Double Sampling) forremoving a fixed pattern noise inherent to the pixel, an AD conversionor the like.

The horizontal driving circuit 6 is composed, for example, of a shiftresistor, sequentially outputs a horizontal scan pulse to sequentiallyselect each column signal processing circuit 5, and outputs a pixelsignal from each column signal processing circuit 5 to the horizontalsignal line 11.

The output circuit 7 processes a signal sequentially fed from eachcolumn signal processing circuit 5 through a horizontal signal line 11,and outputs the signal. For example, the output circuit 7 may simplybuffer, or may carry out a black level adjustment, a column deviationcorrection, a variety of digital signal processing or the like. An inputand output terminal 13 exchanges a signal with the outside.

The solid state imaging apparatus 1 configured as described above is aCMOS image sensor called as a column AD method where the column signalprocessing circuit 5 is arranged per pixel column for carrying out a CDSprocessing and an AD conversion processing.

<Top Configuration View of Semiconductor Wafer>

The solid state imaging apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 is provided byseparating a plurality of solid state imaging apparatuses 1 arranged ona large-sized semiconductor wafer 21 shown in FIG. 2. Specifically, thelarge-sized semiconductor wafer 21 is diced using a blade (not shown)along scribe areas LA to separate the semiconductor wafer 21 into eachsolid state imaging apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1, thereby forming thesolid state imaging apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a top configuration view of the solid state imagingapparatus shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a pad opening PK and a chip surroundingguard ring CG at a predetermined place shown by an alternate long andshort dashed line in FIG. 3. Thus, FIG. 4 shows the chip surroundingguard ring CG of the solid state imaging apparatus 1 adjacent to theright side of the pad opening PK.

The solid state imaging apparatus 1 includes a chip area CA and a scribearea LA. The chip area CA includes a pixel area PA inside thereof and asurrounding area SA arranged outside thereof. In the pixel area PA, aplurality of pixels 2 are arranged in horizontal and verticaldirections. The pixel area PA corresponds to the pixel array 3 shown inFIG. 1, and the surrounding area SA corresponds to the peripheralcircuits where the vertical driving circuit 4, the column signalprocessing circuit 5, the horizontal driving circuit 6, the outputcircuit 7 and the control circuit 8 are arranged.

At the surrounding area SA, a plurality of the pad openings PK aredisposed. At each pad opening PK, an electrode pad portion PAD isdisposed, and a pad surrounding guard ring PG is disposed to surroundthe electrode pad portion PAD.

The scribe area LA is positioned to surround the chip area CA, andcorresponds to a boundary between the solid state imaging apparatuses 1adjacent. As described above, the scribe area LA is diced with a bladewhen the respective solid state imaging apparatuses 1 are separated.

FIG. 5 illustrates functions of a pad surrounding guard ring PG and achip surrounding guard ring CG.

The pad surrounding guard ring PG is disposed in order to prevent a leakor a damage even if a side wall is accidentally contacted with a bondingwire or a probe for inspecting the electrode pad portion PAD, as shownin FIG. 5.

The chip surrounding guard ring CG is disposed in order to preventchipping that may be generated by dicing the scribe area LA with ablade, as shown in FIG. 5.

As described above, the pad surrounding guard ring PG and the chipsurrounding guard ring CG of the solid state imaging apparatus 1 preventthe leak, the damage and the chipping. In addition, the pad surroundingguard ring PG and the chip surrounding guard ring CG have structures toreduce a flare component. Hereinafter, the structure of the padsurrounding guard ring PG will be described in detail as an example.

2. First Embodiment Cross Sectional Configuration View

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view showing a configuration around the padopening PK of the solid state imaging apparatus at a predeterminedplace.

The semiconductor substrate 12 is formed by bonding a sensor substrate31 as the first semiconductor substrate to a logic substrate 32 as thesecond semiconductor substrate, as shown in FIG. 6. In the sensorsubstrate 31, photo diodes of each pixel 2 etc. are formed. In the logicsubstrate 32, at least a part of logic circuits of the peripheralcircuits is formed.

Thus, FIG. 6 shows a configuration embodiment of a laminated type solidstate imaging apparatus 1 formed by bonding two semiconductorsubstrates. In FIG. 6, an upper side is a light receiving surface onwhich light is incident and is a rear surface of the semiconductorsubstrate 12. The solid state imaging apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 6 is aback illumination type solid state imaging apparatus.

The sensor substrate 31 is bonded to the logic substrate 32 with aplasma bonding or a bonding agent at a bonding interface 33. In thesensor substrate 31, an insulation layer 41, a multilayer wiring layer42 and a silicon layer 43 are disposed from the bonding interface 33 inthis order. The multilayer wiring layer 42 is composed of a plurality ofwiring layers and interlayer insulation films interposed therebetween.In each pixel area PA of the silicon layer 43, the photo diode PD isformed per pixel unit.

On an upper surface of the silicon layer 43, an antireflection film 44and an insulation film 45 are formed in this order.

As a material of the antireflection film 44, there can be used siliconnitride (SiN), hafnium oxide (HfO₂), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), zirconiumoxide (ZrO₂), tantalum oxide (Ta₂O₅), titanium oxide (TiO₂), lanthanumoxide (La₂O₃), praseodymium oxide (Pr₂O₃), cerium oxide (CeO₂),neodymium oxide (Nd₂O₃), promethium oxide (Pm₂O₃), samarium oxide(Sm₂O₃), europium oxide (Eu₂O₃), gadolinium oxide (Gd₂O₃), terbium oxide(Tb₂O₃), dysprosium oxide (Dy₂O₃), holmium oxide (Ho₂O₃), thulium oxide(Tm₂O₃), ytterbium oxide (Yb₂O₃), lutetium oxide (Lu₂O₃) yttrium oxide(Y₂O₃) and the like.

As a material of the insulation film 45, there can be used a Si compoundsuch as silicon oxide (SiO₂), silicon nitride (SiN), silicon oxynitride(SiON) and silicon carbide (SiC).

In the pixel area PA on an upper side of the insulation film 45, a colorfilter (CF) 46 of any of R (Red), G (Green) or B (Blue) is formed perpixel unit. The colors of the color filter (CF) 46 are arranged perpixel unit to provide the Bayer array, for example.

On an upper side of the color filter 46 in the pixel area PA, on-chiplenses 47 are formed per pixel unit. A material used for the on-chiplenses 47 includes a copolymerization based resin material such as astyrene based resin, an acryl based resin and a siloxane based resin.

On the other hand, in the surrounding area SA, as no color filter 46 areformed, a planarization film 47 a made of the material used for theon-chip lenses 47 is formed.

Around the pad opening PK in the surrounding area SA (both sides in FIG.6), the pad surrounding guard ring PG is penetrated and buried into apart of the logic substrate 32 using an insulation material (a non-metalmaterial) in a longitudinal direction. Specifically, the insulationmaterial filled as the pad surrounding guard ring PG can be any of thematerial used for the antireflection film 44, the Si compound used forthe insulation film 45 and the copolymerization based resin materialused for the on-chip lenses 47. Alternatively, a combination of theantireflection film material, the Si compound, the resin material withair gap (air, gas) as described later referring to FIGS. 10A to 10D maybe used.

In the logic substrate 32 as the second semiconductor substrate, aninsulation layer 51, a multilayer wiring layer 52 and a silicon layer 53are disposed from the bonding interface 33 in this order.

The pad opening PK is open from the sensor substrate 31 to theinsulation layer 51 of the logic substrate 32 in a longitudinaldirection (a depth direction) in the surrounding area SA. On anuppermost layer (a layer nearest to the sensor substrate 31) of themultilayer wiring layer 52 that is a bottom surface of the pad openingPK, the electrode pad portion PAD is formed.

The pad surrounding guard ring PG disposed around the pad opening PK isformed from the insulation film 45 of the sensor substrate 31 to theinsulation layer 51 of the logic substrate 32 in a longitudinaldirection. Here, the pad surrounding guard ring PG has a forward taperedshape where a top diameter (a top width) at an upper light incidentsurface side is greater than a bottom diameter (a bottom width) at abottom portion of an electrode pad portion PAD side in FIG. 6.

A wiring guard ring HG is disposed in the multilayer wiring layer 52 ata lower side of the pad surrounding guard ring PG.

The pad surrounding guard ring PG of the solid state imaging apparatus 1having such a configuration can achieve the following effects.

The pad surrounding guard ring PG made of a non-metal material (aninsulation material) is penetrated and buried from the insulation film45 of the sensor substrate 31 into the insulation layer 51 of the logicsubstrate 32. If the pad surrounding guard ring PG is formed of a metalmaterial, a side wall is damaged upon wire bonding to generate andpropagate cracks. In contrast, according to the embodiment of thepresent disclosure, when the pad surrounding guard ring PG is formedwith a non-metal material in a longitudinal direction (a verticaldirection), boundaries where a damage propagates can be severed toinhibit propagation of cracks.

In the related art, when a bonding wire is contacted with the siliconlayer 43 at the side wall, a current leak path may be formed upondriving. In contrast, according to the embodiment of the presentdisclosure, the pad surrounding guard ring PG made of a non-metalmaterial in a longitudinal direction can be electrically insulated,thereby preventing the leak.

Although FIG. 6 shows the pad surrounding guard ring PG disposed aroundthe pad opening PK, the chip surrounding guard ring CG disposed at aside of the scribe area LA is also formed similarly. In other words, thechip surrounding guard ring CG is formed with a non-metal material andis penetrated through the insulation film 45 of the sensor substrate 31into the insulation layer 51 of the logic substrate 32 in a longitudinaldirection.

By the configuration in the related art, a dicing load may generatecracks that propagate to partly chip the chip surrounding guard ring.The chipped part flies to an imaging area to cause a damage, which mayaffect imaging properties.

In contrast, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, thechip surrounding guard ring CG having the above-described configurationcan inhibit propagation of cracks and prevent chipping.

<Production Method>

Next, referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, a method of producing the solid stateimaging apparatus 1 in FIG. 6 will be described.

Firstly, as shown in FIG. 7A, the sensor substrate 31 and the logicsubstrate 32 separately produced are bonded with a plasma bonding or abonding agent at the bonding interface 33.

After the sensor substrate 31 and the logic substrate 32 are bonded, asshown in FIG. 7B, the antireflection film 44 and the insulation film 45are formed sequentially by a CVD method, for example.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7C, an area to be the pad surrounding guard ringPG is removed by a dry etching method, for example, to form an opening70.

Then, as shown in FIG. 8A, the insulation material used for theantireflection film 44 is used to form a film over an entire uppersurface of the sensor substrate 31 by the CVD method, for example, andthe opening 70 to be the pad surrounding guard ring PG is filled withthe insulation material.

An uppermost insulation material film is removed by a etch back or a CMP(Chemical Mechanical Polishing) treatment, as shown in FIG. 8B, suchthat the pad surrounding guard ring PG is formed. The insulationmaterial buried may be the Si compound used for the insulation film 45,the resin material used for the on-chip lenses 47 or the like as well asthe material used for the antireflection film 44.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8C, the color filter 46 is formed in thepixel area PA, and the on-chip lenses 47 are then formed thereon.

For example, the color filter 46 can be formed by coating a coatingliquid containing a coloring pigment and a photoresist resin by acoating method such as a spin coating method to form a coated film, andby patterning the coated film by a lithography technique.

For example, the on-chip lenses 47 can be formed by patterning aphotosensitive resin material by the lithography technique and bydeforming it to a lens shape by a reflow treatment. An upper side of theinsulation film 45 in the surrounding area SA becomes the planarizationfilm 47 a made of the material used for the on-chip lenses 47.

Finally, as shown in FIG. 8D, the sensor substrate 31 and the insulationlayer 51 of the logic substrate 32 above the electrode pad portion PADare removed by a dry etching method, for example, to form the padopening PK.

In this way, the solid state imaging apparatus 1 in FIG. 6 can beproduced.

In the above-described embodiment, after the sensor substrate 31 and thelogic substrate 32 are bonded to form the antireflection film 44 and theinsulation film 45, the opening 70 to be the pad surrounding guard ringPG is formed. However, the opening 70 to be the pad surrounding guardring PG may be formed at any time after the sensor substrate 31 and thelogic substrate 32 are bonded. For example, after the sensor substrate31 and the logic substrate 32 are bonded and before the antireflectionfilm 44 and the insulation film 45 are formed, the opening 70 may beformed. In this case, after the opening 70 is formed, the antireflectionfilm 44 and the insulation film 45 are sequentially formed. The opening70 is filled with two types of materials of the antireflection film 44and the insulation film 45, and the pad surrounding guard ring PG isformed. Alternatively, the opening 70 may be filled with three or moretypes of materials including the resin material used for the on-chiplenses 47.

The chip surrounding guard ring CG disposed at the side of the scribearea LA can be formed similar to the above-described pad surroundingguard ring PG.

As described above, the pad surrounding guard ring PG is formed from aback surface side (a light incident surface side) after the sensorsubstrate 31 and the logic substrate 32 are bonded. As shown in FIG. 9A,the pad surrounding guard ring PG has a forward tapered shape where atop diameter (a top width) is greater than a bottom diameter (a bottomwidth) at a bottom portion of an electrode pad portion PAD side.

When an inverse tapered shape where a top diameter is smaller than abottom diameter as shown in FIG. 9B is compared to the forward taperedshape in the pad surrounding guard ring PG, light is inhibited frombeing incident on the photo diodes PD if the incident light is hit onthe pad surrounding guard ring PG and is reflected. In this manner,using the pad surrounding guard ring PG and the chip surrounding guardring CG according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, a flarecomponent incident on the photo diodes PD can be reduced.

As described above, after the sensor substrate 31 and the logicsubstrate 32 are bonded, the pad surrounding guard ring PG is formedfrom a rear surface, thereby providing the forward tapered shape.Alternatively, it is possible to set a desirable taper angle(corresponds to a difference between a top diameter and a bottomdiameter) by patterning etc.

As described above, after the sensor substrate 31 and the logicsubstrate 32 are bonded, the pad surrounding guard ring PG is formedfrom a rear surface. In this case, a margin for bonding misalignment isunnecessary. Therefore, a distance (a distance in a horizontaldirection) between the electrode pad portion PAD and the pad surroundingguard ring PG can be shorten, thereby reducing a unit size (a chipsize).

<Alternative Embodiment of Method of Filling Insulation Material as PadSurrounding Guard Ring PG>

FIGS. 10A to 10D are views for illustrating an alternative method offilling an insulation material as a pad surrounding guard ring PG.

A pad surrounding guard ring PG-a shown in FIG. 10A is in a state thatthe insulation material film formed on the upper surface of the sensorsubstrate 31 shown in FIG. 8A remains without etch back and CMPtreatment and is integrated with a buried portion. The pad surroundingguard ring PG-a may be any of the resin material used for the on-chiplenses 47 same as that used for an uppermost film 47 a, the materialused for the antireflection film 44, the Si compound used for theinsulation film 45, as described above.

In a pad surrounding guard ring PG-b shown in FIG. 10B, the opening 70of the pad surrounding guard ring PG is not entirely buried with theinsulation material, only an interface (a surface) of the opening 70 iscovered with the insulation material and a center of the opening 70 isfilled with air.

In a pad surrounding guard ring PG-c shown in FIG. 10C, the opening 70of the pad surrounding guard ring PG is not entirely buried with theinsulation material similar to that shown in FIG. 10B, but an uppersurface of the opening 70 is blocked with the insulation material, andthe inside of the opening 70 is filled with air.

The pad surrounding guard ring PG-b shown in FIG. 10B and the padsurrounding guard ring PG-c shown in FIG. 10C are filled with one typeof the insulation material together with air. Alternatively, two or moretypes of insulation materials may be used together with air. When thepad surrounding guard ring PG is filled with two or more types ofinsulation materials together with air, the insulation materials arelaminated in the following order: the insulation material used for theantireflection film 44, the Si compound used for the insulation film 45,the resin material used for the on-chip lenses 47 and the Si compound.Formation of one or more films among them can be skipped.

In a pad surrounding guard ring PG-d shown in FIG. 10D, the opening 70is not filled with the insulation material and is an air gap (a hollowspace). In other words, FIG. 10D shows the pat surrounding guard ringPD-d formed being filled with only air.

<Alternative Embodiment of Pad Surrounding Guard Rings PG Having VaryingDepth>

FIGS. 11A to 11D illustrate alternative embodiments of the padsurrounding guard rings PG having varying depths.

According to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the pad surroundingguard ring PG is formed from the insulation film 45 of the sensorsubstrate 31 to the insulation layer 51 of the logic substrate 32 in adepth direction. The depth (a length in a longitudinal direction) of thepad surrounding guard ring PG may be such that at least the siliconlayer 43 of the sensor substrate 31 is trenched.

FIG. 11A shows an embodiment that a pad surrounding guard ring PG-e isformed by forming an opening only in the silicon layer 43 of the sensorsubstrate 31 and burying the opening with the insulation material. Underthe pad surrounding guard ring PG-e, a wiring guard ring HG-e isdisposed.

FIG. 11B shows an embodiment that a pad surrounding guard ring PG-f isformed by forming an opening in the silicon layer 43 and a part of themultilayer wiring layer 42 of the sensor substrate 31 and burying theopening with the insulation material, and a wiring guard ring HG-f isdisposed in the rest of the multilayer wiring layer 42. The padsurrounding guard ring PG-f may be formed in any number of themultilayer wiring layer 42.

The configurations shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B each does not function asa stopper against the bonding interface 33 and are therefore weakagainst cracks on the bonding interface 33. However, the pad surroundingguard ring PG-e or PG-f is shallow, thereby minimizing PID (PlasmaInduced Damage). In addition, there is a great freedom degree of wiringfor drawing a power source from the electrode pad portion PAD.

FIG. 11C shows an embodiment that a pad surrounding guard ring PG-g isformed by forming an opening in the sensor substrate 31 and a part ofthe multilayer wiring layer 52 of the logic substrate 32 and burying theopening with the insulation material, and a wiring guard ring HG-g isdisposed in the rest of the multilayer wiring layer 52.

FIG. 11D shows an embodiment that a pad surrounding guard ring PG-h isformed by forming an opening in the sensor substrate 31 and a part ofthe silicon layer 53 of the logic substrate 32 and burying the openingwith the insulation material.

The configurations shown in FIGS. 11C and 11D each functions as astopper against the bonding interface 33 and therefore can inhibitpropagation of cracks on the bonding interface 33. However, the PID maybe increased. In addition, there is a limited freedom degree of wiringfor drawing a power source from the electrode pad portion PAD.

<Embodiment of Wiring for Drawing Power Source>

FIGS. 12A to 12C each shows an embodiment of a wiring for drawing apower source from the electrode pad portion PAD.

FIG. 12A shows an embodiment of a wiring for drawing a power source inthe pad surrounding guard ring PG shown in FIG. 6, i.e., the embodimentof the wiring for drawing a power source in the pad surrounding guardring PG filled with the insulation material to the insulation layer 51of the logic substrate 32.

In FIG. 12A, there are shown embodiments for drawing two different powersources at left and right sides of the pad surrounding guard ring PG ofthe electrode pad portion PAD.

In the left side in FIG. 12A, the electrode pad portion PAD is extendedand connected to the wiring guard ring HG, whereby the power source isdrawn from the electrode pad portion PAD via the wiring guard ring HG.

On the other hand, in the right side in FIG. 12A, an isolated pad 81 isdisposed under the pad surrounding guard ring PG and a wiring 82 fordrawing a power source connected to the electrode pad portion PAD isseparately disposed, thereby drawing the power source from the electrodepad portion PAD. In this case, as the isolated pad 81 is isolated fromthe electrode pad portion PAD and other wirings of the multilayer wiringlayer 52, the PID can be prevented. The isolated pad 81 may be omitted.

FIG. 12B shows an embodiment of a wiring for drawing a power source inthe pad surrounding guard ring PG-g shown in FIG. 11C, i.e., theembodiment of the wiring for drawing a power source in the padsurrounding guard ring PG-g filled with the insulation material to themultilayer wiring layer 52 of the logic substrate 32.

In FIG. 12B, there are shown embodiments for drawing two different powersources at left and right sides of the pad surrounding guard ring PG-gof the electrode pad portion PAD.

In the left side in FIG. 12B, the electrode pad portion PAD is connectedto the wiring guard ring HG-g, whereby the power source is drawn fromthe electrode pad portion PAD via the wiring guard ring HG-g.

On the other hand, in the right side in FIG. 12B, an isolated pad 81 isdisposed under the pad surrounding guard ring PG-g and a wiring 82 fordrawing a power source connected to the electrode pad portion PAD isseparately disposed, thereby drawing the power source from the electrodepad portion PAD. In this case, the PID can be prevented.

FIG. 12C shows an embodiment of a wiring for drawing a power source inthe pad surrounding guard ring PG-h shown in FIG. 11D, i.e., theembodiment of the wiring for drawing a power source in the padsurrounding guard ring PG-h filled with the insulation material to apart of the silicon layer 53 of the logic substrate 32.

In FIG. 12C, there are shown embodiments for drawing two different powersources at left and right sides of the pad surrounding guard ring PG-hof the electrode pad portion PAD.

In the left side in FIG. 12C, through electrodes (TSV: Through-SiliconVia) are disposed and connected inside (at the electrode pad portion PADside) and outside of the pad surrounding guard ring PG-h to draw thepower source from the electrode pad portion PAD. In other words, athrough electrode TSV1 disposed inside of the pad surrounding guard ringPG-h is connected to a through electrode TSV2 disposed outside thereofwith a connection electrode 83, and the through electrode TSV2 isconnected to a wiring layer 84, thereby drawing the power source fromthe electrode pad portion PAD.

On the other hand, in the right side in FIG. 12C, the silicon layer 53of the logic substrate 32 is used to draw the power source. In otherwords, a semiconductor area 85 for drawing the power source is formed inthe silicon layer 53 of the logic substrate 32 and is connected to awiring for drawing a power source 86 connected to the electrode padportion PAD, thereby drawing the power source from the electrode padportion PAD.

<External Connection to Electrode Pad Portion Using TSV>

FIG. 13 illustrates a configuration embodiment of the solid stateimaging apparatus 1 that is externally connected to the electrode padportion PAD using not wire bonding but a through electrode.

In other words, an upper portion of the electrode pad portion PAD is notopened. Instead of the pad opening PK, a through electrode TSV3 isdisposed at a lower side of the electrode pad portion PAD. In this case,the wiring guard ring HG can inhibit propagation of cracks caused bythermal expansion of a metal material of the through electrode TSV3.

<Embodiment of Share Contact Structure>

FIG. 14 shows an embodiment where a through via is formed by the similarmethod of producing the pad surrounding guard ring PG and is utilized ina share contact structure.

In FIG. 14, the components corresponding to those in FIG. 6 are denotedby the same reference numerals, and thus detailed description thereofwill be hereinafter omitted.

In FIG. 14, through vias Via1 and Via2 are formed by penetrating throughthe silicon layer 43 of the sensor substrate 31 by the similar method ofproducing the pad surrounding guard ring PG.

Between the through vias Via1 and the Via2, a connection conductor 91 isburied. The connection conductor 91 has the share contact structure andis connected to uppermost wiring layers 92 a and 92 b on the multilayerwiring layer 42 of the sensor substrate 31 and an uppermost wiring layer93 of the logic substrate 32. The connection conductor 91 can be formedby a metal material such as tungsten (W), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu) andthe like.

<Method of Producing Share Contact Structure>

FIGS. 15A to 15D are views for illustrating a method of producing theshare contact structure shown in FIG. 14.

Firstly, as shown in FIG. 15A, the sensor substrate 31 and the logicsubstrate 32 separately produced are bonded at the bonding interface 33.Thereafter, the through vias Via1 and the Via2 are formed by the similarmethod of producing the pad surrounding guard ring PG. As the throughvias Via1 and Via2 are formed after the sensor substrate 31 and thelogic substrate 32 are bonded, the through vias Via1 and Via2 has aforward tapered shape.

Next, as shown in FIG. 15B, the silicon layer 43, the antireflectionfilm 44 and the insulation film 45 between the through vias Via1 andVia2 are removed by a dry etching method, for example. As the throughvias Via1 and Via2 each functions as an etching stopper, the siliconlayer 43 and the like can be easily removed.

As shown in FIG. 15C, the insulation layer 41 and the multilayer wiringlayer 42 disposed between the wiring layers 92 a and 92 b of the sensorsubstrate 31 and the insulation layer 51 of the logic substrate 32 areremoved by a dry etching method, for example. In this way, an opening 94with which a metal material for forming the connection conductor 91 isfilled is formed.

Then, as shown in FIG. 15D, the opening 94 is filled with the metalmaterial such as tungsten (W), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu) and the liketo form the connection conductor 91.

As described above, the through vias Via1 and Via2 at both sides of theconnection conductor 91 are formed by the similar method of producingthe pad surrounding guard ring PG from a light incident surface side (arear surface), whereby a margin for bonding misalignment is unnecessary.Therefore, a unit size can be reduced.

As the through vias Via1 and Via2 are formed by the similar method ofproducing the pad surrounding guard ring PG from the light incidentsurface side (the rear surface), the through vias Via1 and Via2 have aforward tapered shape. In this manner, light is inhibited from beingincident on the photo diodes PD, a flare component incident on the photodiodes PD can be reduced.

Furthermore, when the silicon layer 43 and the like are etched betweenthe through vias Via1 and Via2, the through vias Via1 and Via2 eachfunctions as an etching stopper. Thus, etching is easily done.

As described above, the solid state imaging apparatus 1 according to thefirst embodiment includes the pad surrounding guard ring PG that is aninsulation structure formed by trenching in a longitudinal direction topenetrate through at least the silicon layer 43 at a light receivingsurface side and burying it with at least one of an insulationsubstance, i.e., the material of the antireflection film, the Sicompound, the copolymerization based resin material and air. The padsurrounding guard ring PG has a forward tapered shape where a topdiameter at the light receiving surface side of the silicon layer 43 isgreater than a bottom diameter at a bottom portion. In this manner, aflare component incident on the photo diodes PD can be reduced.

3. Second Embodiment Embodiment of Non-laminated Type Solid StateImaging Apparatus

In the above-described first embodiment, the pad surrounding guard ringPG according to the present disclosure is applied to the laminated typesolid state imaging apparatus formed by bonding two semiconductorsubstrates. The pad surrounding guard ring PG according to the presentdisclosure may be applied to a non-laminated and back illumination typesolid state imaging apparatus in the related art.

FIG. 16 is a cross sectional configuration view around a pad opening PKat a predetermined position of the solid state imaging apparatus 1, whenthe solid state imaging apparatus 1 is the non-laminated and backillumination type solid state imaging apparatus.

In FIG. 16, a support substrate 100 as the first semiconductor substrateis bonded to a multilayer wiring layer 102 of a silicon substrate 101 asthe second semiconductor substrate at a bonding interface 103.

On an upper surface of the multilayer wiring layer 102 of the siliconsubstrate 101, a silicon layer 104 is disposed. In a pixel area PA ofthe silicon layer 104, a photo diode PD is formed per pixel unit.

On an upper surface of the silicon layer 104, an antireflection film 105and an insulation film 106 are formed in this order. As the material forthe antireflection film 105 and the insulation film 106, a variety ofmaterials cited referring to FIG. 6 can be used.

On an upper side of the insulation film 106 in the pixel area PA, acolor filter (CF) 107 of any of R, G or B are formed per pixel unit. Thecolors of the color filter 107 are arranged by the Bayer array, forexample.

On an upper side of the color filter 107 in the pixel area PA, on-chiplenses 108 are formed per pixel unit. As a material used for the on-chiplenses 108, there is used a copolymerization based resin material suchas a styrene based resin, an acryl based resin and a siloxane basedresin.

On the other hand, in the surrounding area SA, as no color filter 107 isformed, a planarization film 108 a made of the material used for theon-chip lenses 108 is formed.

In the surrounding area SA, the pad opening PK is open from an interfaceof a rear surface to a lowermost wiring layer of the multilayer wiringlayer 102 in a longitudinal direction. At the lowermost wiring layer ofthe multilayer wiring layer 102, the electrode pad portion PAD isformed.

The pad surrounding guard ring PG made of an insulation material (anon-metal material) around the pad opening PK (both sides in FIG. 16) ispenetrated and buried into an isolated pad 109 positioned at thelowermost wiring layer of the multilayer wiring layer 102. If the padsurrounding guard ring PG is formed of a metal material, side walls aredamaged upon wire bonding, thereby propagating cracks. According to theembodiment of the present disclosure, when the pad surrounding guardring PG is formed with a non-metal material in a longitudinal direction,boundaries where a damage propagates can be severed to inhibitpropagation of cracks.

When a bonding wire is contacted with the silicon layer 104 at the sidewall, a current leak path may be formed upon driving. The padsurrounding guard ring PG shown in FIG. 16 made of a non-metal materialcan be electrically insulated, thereby preventing the leak.

Although FIG. 16 shows the pad surrounding guard ring PG disposed aroundthe pad opening PK, the chip surrounding guard ring CG disposed at aside of the scribe area LA is also formed similarly. In this manner,propagation of cracks can be inhibited and chipping can be prevented.

<Production Method>

Referring to FIGS. 17A to 17D and 18A to 18D, a method of producing thesolid state imaging apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 16 will be illustrated.

Firstly, as shown in FIG. 17A, the photo diodes PD are formed in thesilicon layer 104 on a holding substrate 131. Thereafter, the multilayerwiring layer 102 including the electrode pad portion PAD and theisolated pad 109 is formed on the silicon layer 104.

Then, as shown in FIG. 17B, the support substrate 100 is bonded to theupper side of the multilayer wiring layer 102 with a plasma bonding or abonding agent at a bonding interface. The boundary between the supportsubstrate 100 and the multilayer wiring layer 102 is the bondinginterface 103.

Next, as shown in FIG. 17C, the whole substrate including the supportsubstrate 100 is inverted. Thereafter, the holding substrate 131 thatforms an upper side after inversion is peeled.

After the holding substrate 131 is peeled, as shown in FIG. 17D, theantireflection film 105 and the insulation film 106 are formed on theupper surface of the silicon layer 104 that forms an uppermost side(rear surface) in this order.

Next, as shown in FIG. 18A, an area to be the pad surrounding guard ringPG is removed by a dry etching method, for example, to form an opening111.

Then, as shown in FIG. 18B, the insulation material is used to form afilm over an entire upper surface of the silicon substrate 101 by theCVD method, for example, and the opening 111 to be the pad surroundingguard ring PG is filled with the insulation material.

An uppermost insulation material on the silicon substrate 101 is removedby a CMP treatment, as shown in FIG. 18C, such that the pad surroundingguard ring PG is formed.

In this embodiment, the pad surrounding guard ring PG is formed byfilling the insulation material of the material used for theantireflection film 44, the Si compound used for the insulation film 45and the copolymerization based resin material used for the on-chiplenses 47. As described above, it may be combined with air gap or onlyair gap may be used.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 18D, the color filter 46 and the on-chiplenses 47 are formed in the pixel area PA. In the surrounding area SA,the multilayer wiring layer 102, the silicon layer 104, theantireflection film 105, the insulation film 106 and a film 108 a abovethe electrode pad portion PAD are removed by a dry etching method, forexample, and the pad opening PK is formed.

In this way, the solid state imaging apparatus 1 in FIG. 16 can beproduced.

The chip surrounding guard ring CG disposed at the side of the scribearea LA can be formed similar to the above-described pad surroundingguard ring PG.

As described above, the pad surrounding guard ring PG is formed from arear surface (a light incident surface side) after the support substrate100 and the silicon substrate 101 are bonded. As shown in FIG. 16, thepad surrounding guard ring PG has a forward tapered shape where a topdiameter at a light incident surface side on an upper side is greaterthan a bottom diameter at an electrode pad portion PAD side.

As the pad surrounding guard ring PG has the forward tapered shape,light is inhibited from being incident on the photo diodes PD if theincident light is hit on the pad surrounding guard ring PG and isreflected. In this manner, using the pad surrounding guard ring PGaccording to the embodiment of the present disclosure, a flare componentincident on the photo diodes PD can be reduced.

<Alternative Embodiments of Pad Surrounding Guard Rings PG HavingVarying Depths>

FIGS. 19A and 19B illustrate alternative embodiments of pad surroundingguard rings having varying depths in the non-laminated type solid stateimaging apparatus 1.

In the non-laminated type solid state imaging apparatus 1, the depth ofthe pad surrounding guard ring PG may be such that at least the siliconlayer 104 is trenched.

FIG. 19A shows an embodiment where the pad surrounding guard rig PG-e isformed by forming an opening only in the silicon layer 104 and buryingthe opening with the insulation material. Under the pad surroundingguard ring PG-e, the wiring guard ring HG-e is disposed.

FIG. 19B shows an embodiment that the pad surrounding guard ring PG-f isformed by forming an opening in the silicon layer 104 and a part of themultilayer wiring layer 102 and burying the opening with the insulationmaterial, and the wiring guard ring HG-f is disposed in the rest of themultilayer wiring layer 102.

<Embodiment of Wiring for Drawing Power Source>

FIGS. 20A and 20B each shows an embodiment of a wiring for drawing apower source from the electrode pad portion PAD in the non-laminatedtype solid state imaging apparatus 1.

FIG. 20A shows an embodiment where the electrode pad portion PAD shownin FIG. 16 is extended to connect to the isolated pad 109 at the bottomof the pad surrounding guard ring PG to form an electrode pad portionPAD1 that is also used as the wiring for drawing a power source.

FIG. 20B shows an embodiment where the pad surrounding guard ring PG isformed up to the second wiring layer from the bottom of the multilayerwiring layer 102, an isolated pad 121 are formed, the electrode padportion PAD shown in FIG. 16 is extended to form an electrode padportion PAD2 that is also used as the wiring for drawing a power sourcein the lowermost layer of the multilayer wiring layer 102. Using theisolated pad 109 shown in FIG. 16 and the isolated pad 121 shown in FIG.20B, the wiring layers connected to the pad surrounding guard ring PG isisolated, the PID can be prevented.

As described above, the solid state imaging apparatus 1 according to thesecond embodiment includes the pad surrounding guard ring PG that is aninsulation structure formed by trenching and penetrating at least thesilicon layer 104 at a light receiving surface side in a longitudinaldirection and burying it with at least one of an insulation substance,i.e., the material of the antireflection film, the Si compound, thecopolymerization based resin material and air. The pad surrounding guardring PG has a forward tapered shape where a top diameter at the lightreceiving surface side of the silicon layer 104 is greater than a bottomdiameter at a bottom portion. In this manner, a flare component incidenton the photo diodes PD can be reduced.

3. Third Embodiment Guard Ring Structure

In the above-described embodiments, the pad surrounding guard ring PGand the chip surrounding guard ring CG each has the forward taperedshape where the top diameter at the light incident surface side isgreater than the bottom diameter at the bottom portion. Other structureof the pad surrounding guard ring PG and the chip surrounding guard ringCG will be described below.

The pad surrounding guard ring PG and the chip surrounding guard ring CGcan be formed by forming an opening 202 having a high aspect ratio tothe semiconductor substrate 201 with a dry etching process, andspin-coating a coating material 203 by a spin coating method to fill theopening 202 with the coating material 203, as shown in FIG. 21.

However, depending on the shape of the opening 202, the coating material203 at an upper portion of the opening 202 may be discharged due tocentrifugal force by spin, as shown in FIG. 21. Once the coatingmaterial 203 at the upper portion of the opening 202 is discharged andno coating material 203 exists thereon, a bonding property between thecoating material 203 and a film-forming material is decreased, which maycause film peeling.

According to the third embodiment, an opening 212 for the padsurrounding guard ring PG or the chip surrounding guard ring CG isformed as shown in FIG. 22. Specifically, the opening 212 is formed in asemiconductor substrate 211 such that an upper portion of a total depthDP3 of the opening 212 has a bowing profile. Herein, the bowing profilerefers to a shape that the opening 212 has an uppermost diameter DA1, amaximum diameter DA2 and a lower diameter DA3; the maximum diameter DA2being at a depth position DP1, the uppermost diameter DA1 being abovethe depth position DP1 and the lower diameter DA3 being lower the depthposition DP1; the uppermost diameter DA1 and the lower diameter DA3being narrower than the maximum diameter DA2. Thus, the uppermostdiameter DA1 is smaller than the maximum diameter DA2 in the opening212. The lower diameter DA3 may have a same size as the uppermostdiameter DA1.

By forming the opening 212 in the semiconductor substrate 211 such thatthe upper portion has the bowing profile, when the coating material 203is spin-coated by a spin coating method, the coating material 203 issprung back from an upper surface of the opening 212 and remains in theopening 212. Accordingly, when the opening 212 has a high aspect ratio,a burying property of the coating material 203 can be improved. When theburying property of the coating material 203 is improved in the opening212 having a high aspect ratio, a bonding property between the coatingmaterial 203 and a film-forming material is ensured to prevent filmpeeling.

Also, when the coating material 203 formed on the upper surface of thesemiconductor substrate 211 is used as a planarization film in the pixelarea PA, the opening 212 can be filled with the coating material 203while a film thickness is maintained, thereby holding a light collectingproperty. In addition, the opening 212 can be filled with the coatingmaterial 203 by a spin coating method, whereby the pad surrounding guardring PG and the chip surrounding guard ring CG can be formed at a lowtemperature.

FIG. 24 illustrates a position of the bowing profile to provide theabove-described advantages.

In the bowing profile that is bulged externally, the depth position DP1having the maximum diameter DA2 may be positioned from the uppermostsurface of the semiconductor substrate 211 to ½ of the total depth DP3of the opening 212, and a depth position DP2 of an uppermost portion ofthe bowing profile may be positioned from the uppermost surface of thesemiconductor substrate 211 to ⅕ of the total depth DP3 of the opening212.

For example, each of openings 212A to 212C shown in FIG. 24 has thedepth position DP1 having the maximum diameter DA2 positioned from theuppermost surface of the semiconductor substrate 211 to ½ of the totaldepth DP3 of the opening 212 and the depth position DP2 of the uppermostportion of the bowing profile positioned from the uppermost surface ofthe semiconductor substrate 211 to ⅕ of the total depth DP3 of theopening 212. Therefore, the advantages illustrated in FIG. 23 can beprovided. In each of the openings 212A and 212B, the depth position DP2of the uppermost portion of the bowing profile equals to the uppermostsurface of the semiconductor substrate 211.

On the other hand, an opening 212D shown in FIG. 24 has the depthposition DP1 having the maximum diameter DA2 positioned deeper than ½ ofthe total depth DP3 of the opening 212 and the depth position DP2 of theuppermost portion of the bowing profile positioned deeper than ⅕ of thetotal depth DP3 of the opening 212. Therefore, no advantages illustratedin FIG. 23 can be provided.

In order to prevent discharge of the coating material 203, an openinghaving a peaked shape shown in FIG. 25 may be used other than theabove-described bowing profiles. The peaked shape of the opening 213refers to a shape that a peaked portion 213A internally protruded isdisposed at the uppermost surface such that the uppermost diameter DA1is narrower than the maximum diameter DA2 under the peaked portion 213Aand the depth position DP1 having the maximum diameter DA2 is positionedat a deep portion of the semiconductor substrate 211. Also, in thiscase, the depth position DP2 of the uppermost portion of the peakedshape may be positioned from the uppermost surface of the semiconductorsubstrate 211 to ⅕ of the total depth DP3 of the opening 213. In thepeaked shape, the depth position DP1 having the maximum diameter DA2equals to the depth position DP2 of the uppermost portion of the peakedshape. Accordingly, when the depth position DP2 of the uppermost portionof the peaked shape is within ⅕ of the total depth DP3, the depthposition DP1 having the maximum diameter DA2 is also within ½ of thetotal depth DP3.

In addition, in the opening 213 having the peaked shape, a diameterlower than the depth position DP1 having the maximum diameter DA2 may bechanged straightly in terms of a sectional shape as shown in FIG. 25, ormay be changed curvedly.

<Method of Producing Chip Surrounding Guard Ring CG>

Referring to FIGS. 26A to 26F, a method of producing a chip surroundingguard ring CG having a bowing profile.

Firstly, as shown in FIG. 26A, a support substrate 241 used as the firstsemiconductor substrate is bonded to a multilayer wiring layer 242formed on a silicon substrate 243 used as the second semiconductorsubstrate. Thereafter, the silicon substrate 243 is thinned. On a pixelarea PA of the silicon substrate 243, photo diodes PD are formed perpixel unit. The area shown in FIG. 26A is a surrounding area SA wherethe chip surrounding guard ring CG is formed, and no photo diodes PD aretherefore formed. FIG. 26A corresponds to FIG. 17C above.

Next, as shown in FIG. 26B, a resist 244 is patterned on an uppersurface of the silicon substrate 243 by a lithography technique.

Then, as shown in FIG. 26C, an area for forming the chip surroundingguard ring CG of the silicon substrate 243 is removed by a dry etchingmethod to form an opening 212 each having a bowing profile. The processconditions of the dry etching for forming the opening 212 having thebowing profile are as follows: gas of SF₆, flow rate of 200 sccm, apressure of 100 mTorr, and a bias voltage of 300V, for example. Theprocess conditions are illustrative only, and the opening can be formedusing other conditions.

When the chip surrounding guard ring CG not having the bowing profilebut having the peaked shape shown in FIG. 25 is formed, an opening 213having a peaked shape is formed on the silicon substrate 243 by a dryetching method, as shown in FIG. 26D.

After the resist 244 on the upper surface of the silicon substrate 243is removed, a coating material 245 is spin-coated by a spin coatingmethod as shown in FIG. 26E. Thus, the opening 212 is filled with thecoating material 245, thereby forming the chip surrounding guard ringCG. Also, on the upper surface of the silicon substrate 243, aplanarization film is formed with the coating material 245.

Upon the coating, as each opening 212 has the bowing profile, thecoating material 245 is sprung back from an upper surface of the opening212 and remains in the opening 212. Accordingly, when each opening 212has a high aspect ratio, the coating material 245 can be filled. Thecoating material 245 can have a viscosity of 1 to 3 mP·s (Pascalseconds).

Finally, as shown in FIG. 26F, an on-chip material 246 is formed on anupper surface of the planarization film formed with the coating material245.

As shown in FIG. 16, the on-chip material 246 is formed in a lens shapeper pixel unit in the pixel area PA, but the on-chip material 246 isplanarized in the surrounding area SA. In FIGS. 26A to 26F, although nocolor filter is formed on the surrounding area SA, but a color filtermay be formed on the surrounding area SA.

5. Fourth Embodiment Application to Trench Between Pixels

The structure where the substrate is trenched in the depth direction inthe bowing profile or the peaked shape can be applied to a trenchbetween pixels for separating the photo diodes PD in addition to theabove-described guard ring including the pad surrounding guard ring PGand the chip surrounding guard ring CG.

FIG. 27 shows a sectional view of a back illumination type pixelstructure including trenches between pixels to which the trenchstructures having the bowing profiles are applied.

A solid state imaging apparatus 1 includes a silicon substrate 311, amultilayer wiring layer 331 formed on a surface side (lower in FIG. 27)and a support substrate 332.

The silicon substrate 311 is formed of a P type (first conductor)silicon substrate, for example. In the silicon substrate 311, each Ntype (second conductor) semiconductor area 312 is formed per pixel 310,thereby forming each photo diode PD per pixel unit.

Between the photo diodes PD formed in the respective pixels 310,trenches 313 between pixels each having a bowing profile are formed.

A pinning film 314 is formed on inner surfaces of the trenches 313between pixels and an upper surface of the silicon substrate 311. Inorder to form a positive charge (a hole) accumulation area in aninterface of the silicon substrate 311 to prevent a generation of a darkcurrent, the pinning film 314 is formed using a high dielectric materialhaving a negative fixed charge. The pinning film 314 also functions asthe antireflection film in the upper surface of the silicon substrate311.

The pinning film 314 is formed of hafnium oxide (HfO₂), for example.Alternatively, the pinning film 314 may be formed of zirconium dioxide(ZrO₂), oxide tantalum (Ta₂O₅) or the like.

Insides of the trenches 313 between pixels coated with the pinning film314 are filled with a transparent insulation material 315. As thetransparent insulation material 315 is formed on a whole rear surface ofthe silicon substrate 311 above the pinning film 314, a transparentinsulation film 315A is formed. As the transparent insulation material315, a material having a refractive index smaller than that of thesilicon substrate 311 is used. In this way, as shown in FIG. 27, as anincident light is reflected on the trenches 313 between pixels, colormixing, flare and blooming caused by a leakage of the incident lightfrom adjacent pixels 310.

On an upper surface of the transparent insulation film 315A, an oxidefilm 316 such as a LTO (Low Temperature Oxide) film, a plasma TEOS filmor the like is formed.

At pixel boundaries on the oxide film 316, light shielding films 317 areformed. As the light shielding films 317, any light shielding materialincluding tungsten (W), aluminum (Al) or copper (Cu) can be used.

On an entire upper surface of the oxide film 316 including the lightshielding films 317, an insulation film 318 is formed. As a material ofthe insulation film 318, silicon oxide (SiO₂), silicon nitride (SiN),oxynitride silicon (SiON) or the like can be used.

On an upper surface of the insulation film 318, a planarized film 319 isformed. On an upper side of the planarized film 319, a color filter 320of any of R (Red), G (Green) or B (Blue) is formed per pixel unit. Eachcolor of Red, Green and Blue in the color filter 320 are arranged by theBayer array, for example. Other array may be used.

On an upper side of the color filter 320, on-chip lenses 321 are formedper pixel unit. As a material used for the on-chip lenses 321, there isused a resin based material such as a styrene based resin, an acrylbased resin, a styrene-acryl copolymerization based resin or a siloxanebased resin. The on-chip lenses 321 collect an incident light. Theincident light collected by the on-chip lenses 321 is effectivelyincident on the photo diodes PD via the color filter 320.

The pixel structure of the solid state imaging apparatus 1 according tothe fourth embodiment can be configured as described above.

In the pixel structure shown in FIG. 27, a depth of each trench 313between pixels is on the way of the silicon substrate 311. However, thedepth of each trench 313 between pixels may penetrate the siliconsubstrate 311, or may be trenched to the multilayer wiring layer 331under the silicon substrate 311.

<Production Method>

Referring to FIGS. 28A to 28E and FIGS. 29A to 29D, a method ofproducing the solid state imaging apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 27 will bedescribed.

Firstly, as shown in FIG. 28A, the support substrate 332 as the firstsemiconductor substrate is bonded to the multilayer wiring layer 331 ofthe silicon substrate 311 as the second semiconductor substrate, and thesilicon substrate 311 is then thinned. As the silicon substrate 311 isthinned, photo diodes PD formed per pixel within the silicon substrate311 are positioned near a boundary at a rear surface of the siliconsubstrate 311.

Next, as shown in FIG. 28B, resists 351 are patterned on the uppersurface of the silicon substrate 311 by a lithography technology.

Then, as shown in FIG. 28C, an opening 352 having the bowing profile isformed between the photo diodes PD of the silicon substrate 311 by a dryetching method, for example. The process conditions of the dry etchingfor forming the opening 352 having the bowing profile are as follows:gas of SF₆, flow rate of 500 sccm, a pressure of 100 mTorr, and a biasvoltage of 300V, for example. The process conditions are illustrativeonly, and the opening can be formed using other conditions.

Next, after the resists 351 on the upper surface of the siliconsubstrate 311 are removed, as shown in FIG. 28D, a pinning film 314 isformed on an inner wall surface of the opening 352 and the upper surfaceof the silicon substrate 311.

Next, the transparent insulation material 315 is spin-coated by a spincoating method such that the opening 352 is filled with the transparentinsulation material 315, the trenches 313 between pixels are formed andthe transparent insulation film 315A is formed on the upper surface ofthe pinning film 314, as shown in FIG. 28E. In the coating process, aseach opening 352 has the bowing profile, as described referring to FIG.23, the transparent insulation material 315 is sprung back from theupper surface of each opening 352 and remains in each opening 352.Accordingly, when each opening 352 has a high aspect ratio, thetransparent insulation material 315 can be filled. The transparentinsulation material 315 can have a viscosity of 1 to 3 mPs.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 29A, the transparent insulation film 315Aformed on the upper surface of the pinning film 314 of the siliconsubstrate 311 is etched back to a predetermined height.

As shown in FIG. 29B, an oxide film 316 is formed on the upper surfaceof the transparent insulation film 315A. As shown in FIG. 29C, the lightshielding films 317 are formed at boundaries between the pixels abovethe oxide film 316.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 29D, the insulation film 318, theplanarized film 319, the color filter 320 and the on-chip lenses 321 areformed in this order.

As described above, according to the method of producing the solid stateimaging apparatus 1 in the fourth embodiment, each opening 352 thatbecomes each trench 313 between pixels is formed as the bowing profileand is filled with the transparent insulation material 315 by a spincoating method. As each opening 352 that becomes each trench 313 betweenpixels is formed as the bowing profile, the transparent insulationmaterial 315 coated is sprung back from the upper surface of eachopening 352 and remains in each opening 352. Accordingly, when eachopening 352 has a high aspect ratio, the transparent insulation material315 can be filled, thereby decreasing a failure caused by a buryingdefect.

As described above, according to the solid state imaging apparatuses inthe third and fourth embodiments, the insulation structure can bedisposed as the guard ring or the trench; the insulation structurehaving a maximum diameter positioned deeper than and is smaller than theuppermost surface of the semiconductor substrate. By utilizing theinsulation structure having the above-described configuration, a buryingproperty of the insulation structure filled within the semiconductorsubstrate can be improved.

The support substrate 241 or 322 in the third and fourth embodiments canbe a logic substrate having logic circuits. In other words, although thethird and fourth embodiments illustrate the non-laminated type solidstate imaging apparatus similar to the second embodiment, the trenchstructure according to the embodiments of the present disclosure isapplicable to the laminated type solid state imaging apparatus in thefirst embodiment.

6. Application to Electronic Device

The technology of the present disclosure is not limited to theapplication to the solid state imaging apparatus. In other words, thetechnology of the present disclosure can be applied to generalelectronic devices using the solid state imaging apparatus for an imagecapturing component (a photoelectric conversion component) including animaging device such as a digital still camera and a video camera, amobile terminal device having an imaging function, and a copy using asolid state imaging apparatus in an image reading component. The solidstate imaging apparatus may be a one chip form or a module form havingan imaging function where an imaging component and a signal processingcomponent or an optical system are packaged in one piece.

FIG. 30 is a block diagram showing a configuration embodiment of animaging apparatus as an electronic device according to an embodiment ofthe present disclosure.

An imaging apparatus 400 shown in FIG. 30 includes an optical component401 including lens groups, a solid state imaging apparatus (imagingdevice) 402 composed of the solid state imaging apparatus 1 shown inFIG. 1, and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) circuit 403 that is acamera signal processing circuit. In addition, the imaging apparatus 400includes a frame memory 404, a display 405, a recording component 406,an operating component 407 and a power source 408. The DSP circuit 403,the frame memory 404, the display 405, the recording component 406, theoperating component 407 and the power source 408 are mutually connectedvia a bus line 409.

The optical component 401 receives an incident light (an imaging light)from an object to be imaged and forms an image on an imaging area of thesolid state imaging apparatus 402. The solid state imaging apparatus 402converts an incident light amount when the image is formed on theimaging area by the optical component 401 into an electrical signal perpixel unit, and outputs it as a pixel signal. As the solid state imagingapparatus 402, the solid state imaging apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1,i.e., the solid state imaging apparatus for reducing a flare component,can be used.

The display 405 is composed of a panel display such as a liquid crystaldisplay and an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) panel, and displays amoving image or a still image captured by the solid state imagingapparatus 402. The recoding component 406 records the moving image orthe still image captured by the solid state imaging apparatus 402 on arecording medium such as a hard disk and a semiconductor memory.

The operating component 407 issues an operating command about a varietyof functions belonging to the imaging apparatus 400 by a user'soperation. The power source 408 supplies a power to a target to besupplied including the DSP circuit 403, the frame memory 404, thedisplay 405, the recording component 406 and the operating component407, as appropriate.

As described above, the solid state imaging apparatus 1 according to theembodiments of the present disclosure is used as the solid state imagingapparatus 402, thereby reducing a flare component. Accordingly, acaptured image having a high image quality can be provided in theimaging apparatus 400 such as a video camera, a digital still camera anda camera module for a mobile device such as a mobile phone.

The present disclosure is not limited to be applied to a solid stateimaging apparatus for detecting a distribution of an incident visiblelight amount and capturing an image, and can also be applied to generalsolid state imaging apparatuses (physical amount distribution detectionapparatuses) in a broad sense including a fingerprint detection sensorby detecting a distribution of other physical amount such as a pressureand a capacitance and capturing an image.

The present embodiments according to the present disclosure are notlimited to the above-described embodiments, and variations andmodifications may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent disclosure.

The present disclosure may have the following configurations.

(1) A solid state imaging apparatus, including:

an insulation structure formed of an insulation substance penetratingthrough at least a silicon layer at a light receiving surface side, theinsulation structure having a forward tapered shape where a top diameterat an upper portion of the light receiving surface side of the siliconlayer is greater than a bottom diameter at a bottom portion of thesilicon layer.

(2) The solid state imaging apparatus according to (1), in which theinsulation structure is a pad surrounding guard ring disposed around anelectrode pad portion.

(3) The solid state imaging apparatus according to (1) or (2), in whichthe insulation structure is a chip surrounding guard ring disposed at aside of a scribe area.

(4) The solid state imaging apparatus according to any one of (1) to(3), in which the insulation structure is formed by at least one of amaterial used for an antireflection film, a Si compound, acopolymerization based resin material used for an on-chip lens and anair gap.

(5) The solid state imaging apparatus according to any one of (1) to(4), which is a laminated type solid state imaging apparatus formed bybonding a first semiconductor substrate on which at least a photo diodeis formed to a second semiconductor substrate on which at least a logiccircuit is formed.

(6) The solid state imaging apparatus according to (5), in which theinsulation structure is penetrated through the first semiconductorsubstrate at a light receiving surface side and is trenched to connect awiring layer of the second semiconductor substrate.

(7) The solid state imaging apparatus according to (5), in which theinsulation structure is penetrated through the first semiconductorsubstrate at a light receiving surface side and is trenched to connect asilicon layer of the second semiconductor substrate.

(8) The solid state imaging apparatus according to (5), including thetwo insulation structures, and in which a connection conductor filledbetween the two insulation structures has a share contact structure thatis connected to both of a wiring layer of the first semiconductorsubstrate and a wiring layer of the second semiconductor substrate.

(9) The solid state imaging apparatus according to any one of (1) to(8), which is a back illumination type solid state imaging apparatuswhere a support substrate is bonded to the semiconductor substrate onwhich the silicon layer is formed.

(10) The solid state imaging apparatus according to (9), in which theinsulation structure is trenched such that the insulation structure isconnected to a lowermost layer of a plurality of wiring layers under thesilicon layer of the semiconductor substrate.

(11) The solid state imaging apparatus according to any one of (1) to(10), in which the wiring layer connected to the insulation structure isisolated.

(12) A method of producing a solid state imaging apparatus, including:

bonding a first substrate to a second substrate including a siliconlayer on which a photo diode is formed; and

trenching the second substrate from a light receiving surface side atleast to a depth of the silicon layer in a longitudinal direction toform an opening where an insulation substance is filled.

(13) An electronic device, including:

a solid state imaging apparatus having an insulation structure formed ofan insulation substance penetrating through at least a silicon layer ata light receiving surface side, the insulation structure having aforward tapered shape where a top diameter at an upper portion of alight receiving surface side of the silicon layer is greater than abottom diameter at a bottom portion of the silicon layer.

(1) A solid state imaging apparatus, including:

an insulation structure formed by trenching a semiconductor substrate ina depth direction into which an insulation material is buried, theinsulation structure having a maximum diameter positioned deeper thanand is smaller than an uppermost surface of the semiconductor substrate.

(2) The solid state imaging apparatus according to (1) above, wherein

the insulation material is a coating material spin-coated by a spincoating method.

(3) The solid state imaging apparatus according to (1) or (2) above,wherein

an upper portion of the insulation structure has a bowing profile.

(4) The solid state imaging apparatus according to (1) or (2) above,wherein

the upper portion of the insulation structure has a peaked shapeinternally protruded on the uppermost surface of the semiconductorsubstrate.

(5) The solid state imaging apparatus according to any one of (1) to (3)above, wherein

the insulation material is buried into the insulation structureconcurrently with a formation of a planarized film formed on the uppersurface of the semiconductor substrate.

(6) The solid state imaging apparatus according to any one of (1) to (3)above, wherein

the insulation structure is a guard ring.

(7) The solid state imaging apparatus according to any one of (1) to (3)above, wherein

the insulation structure is a trench between pixels for separating photodiodes formed per pixel unit on the semiconductor substrate.

(8) A method of producing a solid state imaging apparatus, including:

trenching a semiconductor substrate in a depth direction to form aninsulation structure having a maximum diameter positioned deeper thanand is smaller than an uppermost surface of the semiconductor substrate,and

burying an insulation material into the insulation structure by a spincoating method.

(9) An electronic device, including:

a solid state imaging apparatus including an insulation structure formedby trenching a semiconductor substrate in a depth direction into whichan insulation material is buried, the insulation structure having amaximum diameter positioned deeper than and is smaller than an uppermostsurface of the semiconductor substrate.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that variousmodifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occurdepending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they arewithin the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A solid state imaging apparatus, comprising: afirst semiconductor substrate, wherein at least a photodiode is formedin the first semiconductor substrate; a second semiconductor substrate,wherein at least a logic circuit is formed in the second semiconductorsubstrate, and wherein the first semiconductor substrate is bonded tothe second semiconductor substrate, an insulation structure formed of aninsulation material penetrating through at least a silicon layer of thefirst semiconductor substrate from a light receiving surface side,wherein the insulation material of the insulation structure includes atleast one of hafnium oxide and silicon oxide, wherein the insulationstructure is a chip surrounding guard ring disposed at a side of ascribe area, and wherein the insulation structure is disposed above awiring layer of the second semiconductor substrate.
 2. The solid stateimaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the insulation structureincludes a material used for an antireflection film, a Si compound, acopolymerization based resin material used for an on-chip lens and anair gap.
 3. The solid state imaging apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the insulation structure is trenched to connect to a wiringlayer of the second semiconductor substrate.
 4. The solid state imagingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the insulation structure istrenched to connect to a silicon layer of the second semiconductorsubstrate.
 5. The solid state imaging apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the insulation structure is a first insulation structure,wherein the solid state imaging apparatus further comprises a secondinsulation structure, and wherein a connection conductor filled betweenthe first and second insulation structures has a shared contactstructure that is connected to both of a wiring layer of the firstsemiconductor substrate and a wiring layer of the second semiconductorsubstrate.
 6. The solid state imaging apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the insulation structure extends to an isolated pad.
 7. Thesolid state imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the insulationmaterial is a same material as one of an antireflection film, aninsulation film, and an on-chip lens.
 8. The solid state imagingapparatus of claim 1, wherein the insulation material is formed of anantireflection film material.
 9. The solid state imaging apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the insulation material is formed of an insulation filmmaterial.
 10. The solid state imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein theinsulation material is at least partially formed of a resin material.11. An electronic device, comprising: a solid state imaging apparatus,including: a first semiconductor substrate, wherein at least aphotodiode is formed in the first semiconductor substrate, a secondsemiconductor substrate, wherein at least a logic circuit is formed inthe second semiconductor substrate, and wherein the first semiconductorsubstrate is bonded to the first semiconductor substrate; an insulationstructure formed of a solid insulation substance penetrating through atleast a silicon layer of the first semiconductor substrate from a lightreceiving surface side, wherein the insulation structure is a chipsurrounding guard ring disposed at a side of a scribe area, and whereinthe insulation structure is disposed above a wiring layer of the secondsemiconductor substrate.